Maureen Downey

Maureen Elizabeth Downey (May 1, 1921 – May 14, 2000) was an American zoologist who worked for three decades at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. Known as "The Starfish Lady," she was an authority on sea stars and other echinoderms, co-founding the International Echinoderm Conference in 1972. Among her discoveries is Midgardia xandaros, the world's largest starfish.

Early life and education

Maureen Downey was born in Washington, D.C., in 1921. She had an early fascination with animal biology, bringing insect specimens to be identified at the National Museum of Natural History. Her work with echinoderms began in the 1940s, when she worked briefly at the Duke University Marine Laboratory in North Carolina. Downey discovered several new species of sea stars, notably the deep-water Midgardia xandaros, which was confirmed as the world's biggest starfish. In 1992, she published the book Starfishes of the Atlantic. Co-written with Ailsa McGown Clark, it became a classic of the field.

She retired in 1987 to San Juan Island, where she lived until her death in 2000 at age 79.

Publications

1967 - Astronebris tatafilius (Euryalae: Asteronychidae), a new genus and species of Ophiuroid from the Aleutians, with a revised key to the family Asteronychidae. Proceedings of The Biological Society of Washington 80: 41–45. BHL 1968 - A note on the Atlantic species of the starfish genus Linckia. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 81: 41–44. BHL 1968 - Catalog of recent Echinoid type specimens in the U.S. National Museum Smithsonian Institution and the Museum of Comparative Zoology Harvard University. Bulletin of the United States National Museum 264: 1-99. BHL 1969 - Catalog of recent Ophiuroid type specimens in major collections in the United States. Bulletin of the United States National Museum 293: 1–239. BHL 1970 - Zorocallida, New Order, and Doraster constellatus, New Genus and Species, with Notes on the Zoroasteridae (Echinodermata; Asteroidea). Smithsonian contributions to Zoology 64: 1–18. SI-repository 1970 - Drachmaster bullisi new genus and species of Ophidiasteridae (Echinodermata, Asteroidea), with a key to the Caribbean species of the family. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 83(6): 77–82. BHL 1970 - Marsipaster acicula, new species (Asteroidea: Echinodermata), from the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 83(28): 309–312. BHL 1971 - A new species of the genus Solaster (Echinodermata: Asteroidea). Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 84(4): 39–42. BHL 1971 - Two new species of the genus Tamaria (Echinodermata: Asteroidea) from the Tropical Western Atlantic. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 84(5): 43–50. BHL 1971 - Ampheraster alaminos, a new species of the family Asteriidae (Echinodermata: Asteroidea) from the Gulf of Mexico. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 84(6): 51–54. BHL 1972 - Midgardia xandaros new genus, new species, a large brisingid starfish from the Gulf of Mexico. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 84(48): 421–426. BHL 1973 - Starfishes from the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico. Smithsonian contributions to Zoology 126: 1–158. SI-repository 1975 - Asteroidea from Malpelo Island with a description of a new species of the genus Tamaria. in: . The biological investigation of Malpelo Island, Colombia. Smithsonian contributions to Zoology 176: 86–90. SI-repository 1977 - with . On the genera Echinaster Mueller and Troschel, and Othilia Gray, and the validity of Verrillaster Downey. (Echinodermata: Asteroidea). Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 90(4): 829–830. BHL 1979 - Pythonaster pacificus n.sp. a new starfish of the family Myxasteridae (Echinodermata: Asteroidea). Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 92(1): 70–74. BHL 1979 - Hymenaster kieri, a new species of starfish of the family Pterasteridae (Echinodermata: Asteroidea). Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 92(4): 801–803. BHL 1980 - Floriaster maya, new genus and species of the family Goniasteridae. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 93(2): 346–349. BHL 1981 - A new goniasterid seastar, Evoplosoma scorpio (Echinodermata: Asteroidea), from the northeastern Atlantic. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 94(2): 561–563. BHL 1982 - Evoplosoma virgo, a new goniasterid starfish (Echinodermata: Asteroidea) from the Gulf of Mexico. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 95(4): 772–773. BHL 1986 - Revision of the Atlantic Brisingida (Echinodermata: Asteroidea), with description of a new genus and family. Smithsonian contributions to Zoology 435: 1-57. SI-repository 1992 - with Ailsa McGown Clark. Starfishes of the Atlantic.